Clockwork & Chivalry - Session 02

8th February 2020

Saturday is here and we're at Matakishi's for some role playing goodness.

We are continuing on with the next session of Clockwork & Chivalry.

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Location; on the road.

We were continuing our journey when through the cold and the snow. We encountered a Parliamentary baggage train heading towards us.
We gave way and allowed them to pass. As they were doing so, a cannon slipped off it's wagon and crushes a horse.
The Parliamentarians had decided to put the horse down. But Ursula interceded and used her witchcraft to heal the animal.

We continued on and then encountered some soldiers, possibly deserters. They saw us coming and moved to block the road, forcing us to stop.
The soldiers demanded payment to let us pass and we immediately refused. Before they had the chance to threaten us, we threatened them!
It looked like a fight was about to kick off and just before it did, Lord Percy 'Dasher' and his 'Gallopers' rushed on to the scene and attacked the soldiers and slew them all.

After thanking 'Dasher', we pressed on. Later in the day we arrived at the village of Croughton.
Looking around the village we saw that the villagers were being entertained by a 'dancing bear'.
Looking further, we noticed that a pair of thieves plying their trade. Perhaps the bear is more of a distraction than entertainment?

​We accosted the two thieves and they tried to flee, the bear handler - realising the act was up also tried to flee. However it seems the bear was not happy with his handler and struck the fleeing man down.
Meanwhile we managed to capture the two others.

Ursula used her 'affinity' to tame the bear, whom we named 'Terrance' and we handed the thieves over to the villagers, who will know how to deal with them.

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Next our journey took us to Sizeham.
Before we arrived, we heard screaming from a closeby manor house, the door was open, which was unusual.
There appeared to be a group at the manor, they appeared to be attacking the manor house and menacing the occupants.
We ran to help and drove them off.

We spoke with Lady Louise Rundle, she gave us a letter to give to her husband.

​By evening we had reached Sizeham and went into the local inn, pleasantly named 'The Hangman's Paunch' and we booked rooms from the owner Edith Shrewt.

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Morning came and we were approached by an elderly man. He warned us that 'Roundheads' intend to burn Althorp manor to the ground and kill the children within.

We realised that we need to get to Althorp manor and quickly! We enlisted the aid of one 'Jed Frame',  a woodsman/forester, he led us through Whittlewood Forest and we arrived at Althorp House.

We met with Lady Catherine and spoke with her. She refused to leave the house in the face of an assault.
As we are conversing with her, we hear 4 'mechanical horses' with eight riders arrive, behind them are more soldiers.

Whilst in the house, we heard the soldiers being ordered to kill everyone inside!

Now was not the time to discuss matters with Lady Catherine. We grabbed the Lady and her children and fled for the woods.

Earlier we had spoken with some of the locals and learned that there was a Leveller/Digger camp somewhere in the woods. Luckily for us, Jed Frame knew and led us there.

The inhabitants of the settlement were most unhappy to see us, they feared that soldiers would follow us  and head for their camp. This did seem quite likely.

We prepared for the oncoming attack.

When they arrived, we attacked and managed to temporarily drive them back. In the lull we took the opportunity to return to Althorp house. In our flight from the house we were forced to abandon our caravan so now we collected it.

We then agreed to escort Lady Catherine to a place where she could find transport somewhere safe.

We headed out and exited Whittlewood Forest at it's northern perimeter. As we departed, we passed a campsite guarded by 2 Roundheads, no doubt this is the camp of the soldiers who are currently in the forest.
We spoke with the two remaining guards. They tell use that they had been sent here with orders to burn the manor house down. They also told us that they are led by a 'Captain Adam Frame' (Possibly related to Jed Frame?).

We left the camp behind and as we did so, we spotted a black-robbed individual watching us from the edge of the forest.